India launched a series of precision strikes under Operation Sindoor early Wednesday (May 6), targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in retaliation for a deadly attack last month in the northern region of Kashmir.
According to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of Defence, the operation struck nine sites “from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.” The strikes, the statement said, were “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature,” deliberately avoiding any Pakistani military installations.
The cross-border operation follows the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in which 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national were killed. Indian authorities had vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable, and Wednesday’s strikes appear to mark the first military response.
“India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” the ministry said. “This operation underscores India’s resolve to hold perpetrators accountable while avoiding unnecessary provocation.”
A formal briefing by Indian defense and military officials is expected later in the day, where further details on strikes are anticipated to be shared.
In a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the Indian Army said: “Justice is served.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military confirmed that the strikes occurred and claimed that they happened using missiles fired from within Indian territory. According to Dawn newspaper, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said that three Pakistani citizens were killed and 12 injured in the attacks.
Following the strikes, India has placed its air defence units along the border on high alert, according to Indian news agency ANI. The move appears aimed at ensuring readiness in case of further escalation.
The operation comes amid escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, both of whom have a long history of conflict over Kashmir. The strikes are reminiscent of previous Indian military actions across the Line of Control— such as the 2016 “surgical strikes” and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
By targeting terrorist facilities while deliberately avoiding Pakistani military assets, India has signalled a calibrated response designed to impose costs without provoking wider conflict.